“The Chop Shop” is the first weekly syndicated radio show dedicated to the guitar. Currently heard on 50 different affiliate stations across the country, Chop Shop Radio consistently delivers a wide mix of guitar-driven fun filled with insight from the artists themselves. The amiable host, veteran Rock DJ Steve Black, says that the show was born out of necessity.
“My first wife, Sabrina, was fighting cancer and things had gotten to the point that she pretty much needed me to take care of her full time,” said the Detroit-area personality. Black was forced to find a way to do radio from his home and used his experience doing local specialty shows to create a whole new venture.
“I decided there was a hole in the industry for a music based show that used the guitar as the centerpiece,” said Black. “All forms of Rock n’ Roll incorporate guitar, so it was a very inclusive idea.”
With a growing list of adventures, including singing around the campfire with Ted Nugent, and 800 interviews later, Black seems to be on to something.
Six String Theories: What made you decide to get into the radio business?
Black: I played DJ in my room when I was a little kid. From the time I discovered Alice Cooper, Kiss and Ted Nugent in the mid 70s, I knew my life would have to involve music somehow. I kind of stumbled into radio. I was told that I was a natural and was given some opportunities. I made the best of each open door and, of course, that led to others. Over the years, my passion and knowledge of rock music has been my biggest asset.
Steve Black interviewing Mark Tremonti
Six String Theories: Who was your first big interview and how did it go?
Black: The first one was in 1989 with the band Savatage. They were a mostly unknown metal band from Florida. My part of the interview was awful, but Jon Oliva, Criss Oliva and Chris Caffery were great. They could tell I was in over my head so they kind of took over. Savatage is still one of my favorite bands and that interview spawned a friendship that still exists today. Several members of the band are now in the massively successful Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Six String Theories: Tell us about some of your more memorable encounters.
Black: The two that stand out are Steve Vai and Zakk Wylde, who I now consider friends. Steve and I just clicked right from the day we met. I’ve been out to see him in L.A, New York, Miami, all over the place. We have shared meals, memories, stories and even the stage once when Steve allowed me to sing with him at a sold out show in Detroit. Zakk and I did an interview in 1994, I think, and when it was over he said “I want to go to the Tigers game today, what do you think?” So we went to Tiger Stadium together for a baseball game and have stayed in contact ever since.
Six String Theories: Where was one of the strangest places you had to go to land an interview?
Black: The most unique one was with John 5, the guitarist for Rob Zombie. I showed up and the band was on stage rehearsing. John stepped up to the mic and told the guys, “Hey I have an interview I’m scheduled for.” John took my hand and pulled me up on the stage and the whole band just stopped and gathered around. They were sitting right on stage with Rob Zombie in a semi circle, like a pre-school class, and watched as John 5 and I talked shop. Fifteen minutes later, I was packing up my gear and they were back to playing full blast!
Six String Theories: Who is left out there on your “Dream List” of subjects?
Black: I missed out on most of the older guys, but the list gets smaller all the time. By the time I started, the really big names from the 60s and early 70s, like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, were pretty much done doing press.
Six String Theories: What have you been listening to lately? Any new bands to recommend?
Black: As for guitarists, I still appreciate all eras and I’ll listen to everything from Chuck Berry to Buckethead. Band-wise I’ve been listening to a lot of Sick Puppies, Falling In Reverse, Rise Against, Volbeat, Avenged Sevenfold and Taddy Porter, as far as newer stuff goes.
Six String Theories: Are most touring bands today more “professional” than they were 20 years ago?
Black: I think they are more accessible now, but each band and even each band member has their own level of professionalism. I’ve interviewed people who were drunk or stoned to the point of the interview being a total loss a few times, some 15 years ago and some in 2011.
Steve Black (middle) with Alice in Chains' Sean Kinney (L) and Jerry Cantrell (R)
Six String Theories: As a journalist, is it difficult to enter in and out of that “Rockstar-lifestyle”?
Black: The biggest changes have come in two forms – technology and business. As radio and media companies have been allowed to own and operate more and more stations, it has hindered the artistry of radio and radio personalities. The business model for some of the bigger companies is McDonald’s. You know what you are going to get from every McDonald’s no matter what state you are in. It’s the most generic hamburger of them all, but it is fast, cheap and easy. Is it the best burger? Not by a long shot, but it’s great business. As more stations are owned by huge corporations, they have to first and foremost make money and consequently radio has become more generic. There are still stations out there that make a great burger to further the analogy, but that is often not the primary goal in our industry today. Technology wise, there are no more CDs, everything has gone digital. That made our on-air jobs easier, but it also made it so you could replace DJs with computers. Overall the technology is just a new field for us to employ and another avenue to connect with our listeners when used properly.
Six String Theories: Tell us about your latest venture, Classic Rock Live? What is it and where can the fans hear it?
Black: Another thing that technology has changed is the way we listen to music. Very few people will sit and listen to an entire hour of just one band anymore, so I came up with a live show to fit the way people listen today. In Classic Rock Live you’ll get all live music and concert memories in one show as Rush is followed by Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Pink Floyd, George Thorogood and Kiss. It’s tons of different bands all in a live format, kind of like a weekly fantasy concert. We currently have affiliates across the country from California to Nebraska to Montana to Maine.
To learn more about Black’s radio show, check out the Chop Show Radio website or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
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Kurt Schwarz is an Associate Editor at Six String Theories. He likes to rock and roll all night and party everyday. He also writes the blog Real Life Husband RockStar Dad!
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